The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-03-03
Mayor Hewitt on Labor Organizations

Last week the Young Mems Democratic
Club of Brooklyn. New York. dined in royal
state. There was some pulling and hauling
before the company sat down Is to whether
the festivities should be turned into boom for
Cleveland or Hill. but what worried the dinner
committee most was a letter of regret from
Mayor Hewitt in which he condemned certain
Democratic leaders for panderlng 10 the labor
vote. Ii was suggested that the letter should
not be read. as it would hurt Coy. Hill. This
dinner" said one member. ''i> hot to be Il He'll
dinner: neither is it to be Il Cleveland dinner.
Ii is 10 be a Democrats: dinner. and nothing
else. | think the letter ought to lie read"
Another gentleman suggested that a committee
be appointed to call on Hewitt and ask him to
cut out the Objectionable sentence. That was
duty 10 one wanted to perform. Finally
GOV. Hill was consulted and he said fatty that
if the letter to he read he would not at
tend the dinner That settled il and it was
| suppressed.
OF course Mr.. Hewitt was interviewed. He
said he supposed he was out of the Democratic
party. and that if the cap fitted Coy. Hill he
then rroeeeled to say: The Democratic party
Is the party of the workingmen. who are en-
Saved to-day Ly dema.ogucs as completely as
the negroes We're in the South before the war.
an against the tyrant every time. and. there
fore. am against the leaders of the so-c:t!letl
labor movement
When asked for Il copy of his letter Mr..
|
gave ii in substance and subsequently, he had
his >tenograplcr make copy from his notes.
/ The whole letter is devoted 10 criticism of the
secret labor organizations, whose leaders. Mr..
Hewitt says. have used them 10 rob laboring
men OF their independence TO compel them to
Unite with such organizations and to punish
and intimidate those who seek to earn their
bread outside of their lictation. Mr.. Hewitt
denounces this tyranny and those Democrats
who have coquctted to this new and dangerous
element i'll order to get votes. and concludes a>
follows:
Unless the Democratic party shall now and
at once absolutely di>own and condemn all or
carnations which seek TO place the indy idlal
under an! other control than that of the law
and deprive the citizen of his right of free az
iloI III W III l)tflSil a. u ought to Ito. and de-
| sire on this occasion to emphasize this issue is
one to which you and Your fellow-m ember>
shall erect your attention. in the hope that the
next State convention and the next National
conN entun will condemn lis Washington con-
| deinned. all secret organizations which under
take to u>urp the functions of the law and de-
| >troy TIE Tree agency of the citizen.
| In tlie interview above mentioned lIr. ucw-
lit went even farther than in the letter. He
said
So far * have any interest in the party
VIII use ii IN behalf OF free labor and open p)-
| ltical action, which may be criticised bv the
| whole country. | will Use all my influence IL
| knock OIL the >hacklc> which have been put on
the iaborng men by dcmagogues. lii other
| words, shall oppose, in the spirit of Wash
ln@ton'> farewell address. any attempt to CEN
| troll the country by secret political methods.
and shall try to keep the Democratic party
| true to its bearings As the defender and proter-
tor # the individual liberty OF the citizen.
/ The Democratic party was newer in such great
| peril As ii Is To-day. and the leaders. if tey
| don't want to ruin it, must stop coqnetti,i.
with the liboring men.
Mr. llewett seems to bu full of it. In Il lat
cr interview he declares . that either the
knights of Labor or the Democratic part J,
must 20 under, bec;tt!>e their fundamental
principles are in absolute antagoni>m to each
other. suppose We call it the Democratic
/ party. Mr.. Hewitt